Bargain buy Skyace set for seasonal return to action at Fairyhouse

The bargain-buy Grade One winning mare Skyace returns to action at Fairyhouse on Tuesday.

Having failed to win in three starts for Willie Mullins, Skyace famously changed hands for just £600 in 2019 and became one of the feelgood stories of last season.

Her remarkable rise through the ranks was crowned at Fairyhouse’s Easter festival when she landed the Grade One mares’ novice hurdle for trainer Shark Hanlon and owners, the Birdinthehand Syndicate.

A subsequent fall at Punchestown was followed by a tilt at the Galway Hurdle where the strong-staying Skyace never looked happy around Ballybrit and was pulled up.

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Hanlon begins a new winter campaign with her in a conditions hurdle around Fairyhouse’s inner track where she clashes again with an old rival in Queens Brook.

Ciel De Niege has to concede weight to both of them but has a crucial recent winning spin around Sligo on his side.

Another high-class runner illuminating this midweek fixture is Three Stripe Life, who starts his career over flights.

Davy Russell, who was stood down at Down Royal on Saturday after hurting his knee, is back to ride Three Stripe Life, who ran a fine fourth to Sir Gerhard in the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham last March.

In other news, Henry de Bromhead has nominated next month's John Durkan Chase at Punchestown as a next possible option for Envoi Allen, who impressed when scoring at Down Royal at the weekend.

It was Envoi Allen's first win for the Co Waterford trainer since being moved by owners Cheveley Park Stud from Gordon Elliott last season.

Some bookmakers cut Envoi Allen’s Gold Cup odds to 12-1 on the back of his performance.

“We haven’t really discussed Envoi Allen yet. There are a few options and the John Durkan would look an obvious one.

“He looked very pacey, I thought, and he is a Champion Bumper winner,” De Bromhead reported on Monday.

Belfast Banter, last season’s County Hurdle hero, and a Grade One winner at Aintree, is among the entries for this Saturday’s Elite Hurdle at Wincanton.

Another Irish possible is the Norman Lee-trained Sole Pretender.

The home defence is likely to be headed by both Goshen and Sceau Royal who landed the race 12 months ago. Sceau Royal will try to pull off an unusual hat-trick having also been successful in the Wincanton highlight in 2016.